Explore Pharma February Issue - 2020

Volume 2 - Issue 07 | February 2020 | Pages 60

www.explorepharma.in

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EXPLORE PHARMA 850

CONTENTS Issue 07 | February 2020

Company Profile 10
14
analytikjena _ multi N/C pharma - A Perfect Match for your Application 19
Gandhi Automations _ Designed for Cleanliness, Engineered for Performance 30
Toshniwal _ Traditional PD Meters Offer Reliable Flow Measurement
HRS _ ECOFLUX* Corrugated Tube Heat Exchanger

Article / News

B&R _ Advanced technologies in Oil & Gas industry 22

Mettler-Toledo India _ Staying Compliant and Profitable 25
23 in the Pharmaceutical Packaging Process with Checkweighing

The Global Pharma Equipments 28

CORONAVIRUS 31

Siemens _ About CORONAVIRUS 45

News _ Trelegy Ellipta filing accepted by EMA for asthma 51

News _ European partnerships to ‘accelerate’ cancer research 51

News _ Biogen, Sangamo team up on neurological disease 51

News _ Subcutaneous Remsima launched in UK 51

Interview 53
26 Ami Polymer Pvt Ltd 40

28 36
30 45

is an Industrial Magazine. Edited & Published by Selvaraj & Sons Publication 53
at Shop No. 08, Hendra Atmaram Arcade, Reti Bunder Road, Rahul Nagar,
Opp. Municipal School, Dombivli (W) - 421202. www.explorepharma.in
Ms. Vijaya Selvaraj, Publisher, Mobile: +91 9892669138, E-mail:[email protected]
February 2020
9

COMPANY PROFILE

10 February 2020

11 February 2020

12 February 2020

13 February 2020

COMPANY PROFILE

Designed for Cleanliness,
Engineered for Performance

Prime Clean Reset- Air One of the most imperative aspects chemical-resistant materials.
Tight Self-Repairing of clean rooms is the Door you choose
for clean room facility. Time for which Common use-cases for these clean
Clean room doors (Prime Clean door is open will play a critical factor room doors:
Reset) are designed for inside in avoiding dirt, temperature, humidity
applications requiring limitation of leak etc. Opening and closure of door has to • Medical Facilities
flow. The perfect sealing properties quick enough to isolate the two areas. • Pharmaceutical Operations
of Prime Clean Reset provide • Food Storage
environmental control and protect the At Gandhi Automations Pvt Ltd • Ensure compliance with CE and TUV
inside environment against draughts, we provide Clean Room High Speed
dust and dirt. Clean room doors Doors specifically designed for above Nord regulations and European
provided by us also has self- repairing purpose. Our Clean Room High Speed standards
system. Doors are best suited for pharma
industries where you need to have REDUCE AIR LOSS AND
controlled environment. The opening SAVE COSTS
and closing of door are fast enough to
separate two areas. A Gandhi Automation’s high-
speed cleanroom door optimizes your
These high-performance clean cleanroom operation. Pressure levels
room doors are designed and are kept stable, air leakage is minimized
engineered for cleanliness. The tight and the exchange of contaminants and
seals and high speeds minimize air airborne particles is significantly limited.
exchange between areas. Mechanical
accessibility and the ability to clean are The superior seal over the full
seamlessly integrated into the design. perimeter of the cleanroom door
Collection points and conventional and its fast cycle, reduce the loss of
seams are minimized, and long life is conditioned air. Over the long run, this
ensured with corrosion-resistant and represents significant cost savings.

14 February 2020

KEEP PRESSURE LEVELS be suited for controlled environments, production zones. They guarantee the
STABLE guarantees controlled loss of pressure tightness of all accesses. The powerful
and allows the ventilation systems and high-speed doors have a smooth
High speed cleanroom doors are air purification to operate correctly. surface structure and no protruding
ideal to build airlocks. Their flexible edges. Therefore, they can be easily
PVC door curtain resists to pressure The mechanical system of Prime cleaned and depositing of particles is
differences and keeps your cleanroom Clean reset self-repairing doors is largely excluded.
in under or overpressure. placed exclusively within the case of
the upright and the crossbeam. Like all high-speed doors by
Cleanroom doors have an Gandhi Automations, The Prime Clean
aesthetical and slim design. They This door ensures endurance Reset doors are enormously heavy-
require little space and can easily be and reduced air permeability, since duty and require low maintenance
installed in tight places. the gear-motor unit and mechanical thanks to their excellent quality. The
components are isolated within the most important argument for these
Prime Clean Reset is a high- upper crossbeam and side uprights. doors is their air tightness which
speed flexible door in pvc for inside considerably contributes to saving
applications, with no rigid elements Its patented sliding system costs in clean rooms, as well as their
and with a perimeter structure made guarantees safe operations: in case of modular structure in a clinical design.
entirely of stainless steel. an accidental collision, the curtain is
released and reinserted after one cycle.
Thanks to its special compact frame
and to the special sliding system this The clean room doors of Gandhi
roll up door has a low permeability to Automations are perfectly adjusted
to the requirements in controlled

15 February 2020

EVENTS

India Med Expo Medical Fair 2020 India Pharma Expo

Date: 4 - 6, Januray 2020 Date: 5 - 7, March 2020 Date: 2 - 4, July 2020
Venue: Hitex Exhibition Center, Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center, Venue: Pragati Maidan,
Hyderabad Mumbai New Delhi

Amptech India India Lab Expo PharmaTech Expo
(Analytica Anacon India)
Date: 7 - 8, February 2020 Date: 7 - 9, August 2020
Venue: Rishikul Ground, Date: 16 - 17, April 2020 Venue: Ahmedabad,
Haridwar Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center, Gujarat
Mumbai
India Medical Show India Lab Expo
Chemspec India (Pharma Pro & Pack)
Date: 14 - 16, February 2020
Venue: Circus Ground, Date: 16 - 17, April 2020 Date: 17 - 19, September 2020
Chandigarh Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center, Venue: Hitex Exhibition Center ,
Mumbai Hyderabad
Oil & Gas Expo

Date: 4 - 6, March 2020
Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center,
Mumbai

PharmaTech Expo Iphex 2020 India Chem 2020

Date: 4 - 6, March 2020 Date: 6 - 8, May 2020 Date: 8 - 10, October 2020

Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center, Venue: Greater Noida, Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center,
Mumbai Delhi Mumbai

India Pharma 2020 Pharmalytica CPhI (P - Mec)
(India Medical Device)
Date: 10 - 12, June 2020 Date: 25 - 27, November 2020
Date: 5 - 7, March 2020 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Center, Venue: Greater Noida,
Mumbai Delhi
Venue: Mahatma Mandir,
Gujarat 16 February 2020

KEMPPI INDIA PVT LTD Phone : +91 44 45671200 Email: [email protected] www.kemppi.com
CHENNAI PUNE DELHI KOLKATA

17 February 2020

 Pharma Work Tables &
Trolleys

 Hospital Equipments &
Furniture

 Pharma Ancillaries &
Accessories

 Pharma Storage
Containers

 Pharma Change Room
Lockers

 Pharma Punches &
Die Cabinates

 Pharma Laboratory
Equipments

The Global Pharma Equipments

Star Industrial Estate,
Unit No. D-32,Valiv, Naik Pada,
Near Hanuman Mandir,
Opp. Dwarka Industrial Estate,
Vasai (E), 401208, Dist. Thane.’
Maharashtra, India.

Contact: 09860039272, 09370994641
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.globalpharmaequipments.com

EXPLORE PHARMA 1618 FebAruUaGrUyS2T0220019

COMPANY PROFILE

Traditional PD Meters Offer
Reliable Flow Measurement

In these days of rising energy costs, Asia. Installed base is a relevant growth highly accurate because they actually
positive displacement (PD) flow factor because often when ordering separate the fluid into compartments
meters provide the reliability and flow meters, especially for replacement and count the number of times this is
accuracy to stand up to the needs purposes, users replace like with like. The done. There is no need for the inferential
of modern-day utility measurement investment in a flow meter technology method that occurs with meters that
applications for Liquid or gas is more than just the cost of the meter correlate flow with velocity or use the
measurement; PD meters remain a itself. It also includes the time and differential pressure method to measure
popular solution. money invested in training people how flow. Because they are both accurate
to install and use the meter. As a result, and reliable, PD meters are widely used
Operating Characteristics when companies consider switching for billing applications. Both the degree
from one flow meter technology to of accuracy and reliability vary with the
Positive displacement flow meters, another, there is more than just the manufacturer and the type of PD meter.
also know as PD meters, measure purchase price to consider. As such,
volumes of fluid flowing through by the large installed base of positive The Flow Transmitter
counting repeatedly the filling and displacement flow meters worldwide Technology
discharging of known fixed volumes. will continue to be a source of orders
for new and replacement meters in the Oval Wheel Meter
Large Installed Base future.
Measuring the volume flow rate
One major growth factor for positive Accuracy & Reliability of liquids and liquefied gases and in
displacement flow meters is the large loading systems in the chemical and
installed base worldwide. Because they That said, accuracy and reliability petrochemical industry, in the mineral
were introduced more than 100 years continue to be the strongest driving oil industry, in the food and beverage
before most new-technology meters, forces behind the flow meter market. industry. Positive displacement (PD)
positive displacement flow meters And PD meters are in solid position in flow meters are the workhorses of
have had much more time to penetrate both of these areas as well. PD meters are today’s flow meter world. They perform
markets in Europe, North America, and many important flow measurements
most people take for granted.

New Generation

Oval Wheel Flow Transmitters with
Just 2 Moving Parts .(the friction less
oval wheels)Indifferent to Line stress’s,
straight length requirement, External
pipe line vibrations.

The PD meters is one of the most preferred flow meter technologies for fuel oil handling, For more details contact
handling high viscosity, High Temperature, and batch process application. Toshniwal Hyvac Pvt Ltd.,
267,Kilpauk garden road
Chennai - 600010
Contact : 044 26445626/8983
Email : [email protected]
www.toshniwal.net

19 February 2020

COMPANY PROFILE

Level indicators
Visual level indicators combine Level measurement
up to three functions in one in communicating vessels. The WEKA
instrument: Level indicator, visual level indicators are characterized As described, WEKA visual level
level switch and level by their compact design and the wide indicators offer the ideal solution for
transmitter. The display that can be range of applications. almost all operating conditions. For most
read even over large distances works applications, you will find a suitable
without energy and automatically as Wide application range device from our standard program.
a result of the physical law of liquids Again and again, however, customized
Operating pressures can range solutions are also required for special
from a vacuum up to 500 bar as well operating conditions. Many designs can,
as calculation pressures for the float for example, also be used in hazardous
standpipe up to the nominal pressure areas according to ATEX or IECEx. (ATEX
PN 630. Liquid densities > 0.27 g/cm3 as is a widely used synonym for the ATEX
well as a temperature range from 77 K guidelines of the european union.) The
to 673 K (-196 °C to 400 °C) allow use in designation ATEX is derived from the
applications for cryogenic liquid gases french abbreviation for atmosphere
as well as in water hydraulics and steam explosibles. Our instruments can thus
boilers. Hermetically sealed floats for also be used in potentially explosive
condensing media are available up to a atmospheres.
max. operating pressure of 320 bar.
Flexibility through choice of suitable
materials
• Standard materials: 316/316L

1.4435/1.4404, group A4 stainless
austenitic steel.
• Other possible stainless austenitic
steels: 304/304L 1.4301/1.4306,
1.4571, 321, 1.4541.

Energy-free, automatic
operation

The WEKA visual level indicator is For more details contact
ideal for the commissioning of systems. Toshniwal Hyvac Pvt Ltd.,
The display works without energy and 267,Kilpauk garden road
automatically as a result of the physical Chennai - 600010
law of liquids in communicating vessels. Contact : 044 26445626/8983
Independent of a controller - and thus Email : [email protected]
also independent in the event of a power www.toshniwal.net
supply failure - visual level indication on
site is ensured.

Excellent readability

The wide, red- and silver-colored
flag indicator system is easily and
clearly readable, even from over large
distances. The fully transparent flag
indicator system made of polycarbonate
(PC) also ensures readability from the
side. The liquids, which are not always
unproblematic and sometimes also
hazardous, are safely enclosed in the
dense and pressure-tight float standpipe
and separated from the indicator.

20 February 2020

Oil Lubricated Vacuum Pumps

Toshniwal supplies oil lubricated use. TMS Series pumps are made from For Details contact:
vacuum pumps.This oil high quality materials, has economical Toshniwal Instruments (Madras) Pvt. Ltd.
lubricated vacuum pumps of the features which matches together to 267 Kilpauk Garden Road,
TMS Series are single stage,oil- achieve: High pumping speed over the Chennai - 600 010.
lubricated rotary vane vacuum pumps range of absolute pressure 1000 mbar- Tel:+91(0)44 26448983 / 8558
with oil re-circulation system. The 0.5 mbar; High water vapour tolerance Email:[email protected]
lubricant system is rated for continuous and low noise level; No pollution; Air Web:www.toshniwal.net
operation of high intake pressures cooled: Built-in anti suck-back system.
so that the pump may be used in a The pumping capacities available
versatile manner in most rough vacuum are:17 m3/hr,35 m3/hr, 65 m3/hr, 100
applications. The pumps are used for m3/hr and 150 m3/hr.
suction of air also in presence of water
vapor and for continuous industrial

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EXPLOREPHARMA

An Exclusive Journal for Today’s Pharma World

Contact: 9892669138 | Email: [email protected] | Web: www.explorepharma.in

Selvaraj & Sons Publication at Shop No. 08, Hendra Atmaram Arcade, Reti Bunder Road, Rahul Nagar,
Opp. Municipal School, Dombivli (W) - 421202.

21 February 2020

ARTICLE

Advanced technologies in
Oil & Gas industry

With growing population and fields can be reopened to utilize the is a cost sensitive market and it is a
an increase in the per capita remaining resources. The same goes perception that latest automation
energy consumption, the for underutilized resources, including solutions are expensive and need
demand for Oil and Gas fields that were not previously immense investments. Lack of clarity
(O&G) is rising. To keep up with these economical to exploit such as oil regarding investments is the biggest
growing demands, O&G companies sand, fractionation and deep water challenge faced by Indian industry.
are increasingly adopting advanced drilling. The supply-demand conflict
automation to achieve significant also increases the importance of Technologies as a driver
business benefits in terms of operational storage, liquefaction of natural gas
efficiency, increased productivity, cost (LNG) and long-distance transport Technologies help industry to
reduction and profitability. routes (e.g. oil depots, LNG plants maximize their return on investment
and extended pipelines). Intensifying (ROI). Today, with advancement of
Challenges for the future environmental regulations is also technologies, it is possible to overcome
becoming an increasingly important various challenges, which was not the
The most pressing challenges factor. In addition, challenges such as case a couple of years back. These
arise from the conflict between skilled labor is forcing the industry to are extremely versatile and ideally
increasing demand and shrinking use more automation, predictive and aid daily operations involved in this
reserves. Mastering this balancing secure remote maintenance, digitally industry. While implementing these
act calls for increased investment in connected infrastructure and many technologies in greenfield plant, it
more efficient extraction and handling other technology solutions. needs high investment, planning,
technology, such as Gas to Power, technology intensive products,
so that decommissioned oil and gas From an India perspective, India software and necessary expertise for

22 February 2020

B&R’s APROL process control system makes it possible to monitor assets constantly. This helps reduce maintenance costs and downtime and
optimize the availability and utilization

deployment. In contrast, a brownfield patch” in a brownfield plant without
plant is not equipped with latest any changes to existing hardware
technologies and might even be and software. In this scenario, edge
decades old. Both greenfield and architectures is a perfect fit for
brownfield plants with automation transferring data from field to the
and digitization strategies can leverage cloud securely and building smarter
these technology advancements. plants. An end-to-end connectivity
helps integrate the IT systems of the
To reduce costs plant owner plant with the process, providing the
can look at advancements such as management with a holistic view of
digital twin and virtualization. This operations. These are some of the
would help drastically reduce cost many opportunities, which
of installation and commissioning. management can explore in such
A digital model of the entire plant a process industry. However,
would be available even before the understanding these new
plant installation begins. This can technologies, their benefits, and the
be coupled with various automation challenges they face, are essential in
solutions to check the feasibility of a entirely adopting them in everyday
plant. This can be done even before operations in industry. With the
ordering the automation systems Industrial IoT implementation and
right down to I/O’s and sensors. The digitization, the need of connectivity Author:
digital model also helps in providing has resulted in increased efficiency Mukund Patil
performance of the assets over time. through big data analytics, and the Head-Process and Factory Automation,
IIoT solutions help brownfield plants ability to automate highly-sensitive India
to retrofit legacy and digitally isolated tasks and with this, cyber security is B&R Industrial Automation Pvt. Ltd.
equipment and to create an IIoT “green E: [email protected]

23 February 2020

Centralized acquisition of operating and process data is much easier thanks to advanced accurately identify cause-and-effect
automation solutions relationships.

a major area of investment for the collected data to calculate upcoming Remote maintenance solution
O&G industry. service intervals. This approach makes diagnosing and maintaining
prevents unplanned downtime and plants easier than ever. The solution
Benefits of advanced substantially increases availability. utilizes the latest IT and security
technologies standards and allows for significant
Remote maintenance solution savings with low investment costs.
The O&G industry has started the makes it easy to service machines
move toward digitization with more and system anywhere in the world B&R: Right choice from
sensors collecting data from rigs from office or on the road. This drill to fill
around the world, but there are still remote solution makes it easy to
areas O&G companies can improve quickly respond to unforeseen B&R solutions are involved in
within an increasingly diverse market. problems in addition to accelerating every single step of the process –
There is a clear incentive for O&G commissioning. The capacity from extraction and production
companies to equip their facilities with utilization of system is maximized to transportation, storage and
advanced automation technologies. as a result. A service technician or billing. That’s why “From drill to
The daily operations involved in engineer can access plants from fill – B&R is the right choice”. B&R
this industry, as pipe handling and anywhere in the world to retrieve offers automation solutions ranging
assembly for drilling are complex logbook entries, application data and from the field and controller level
and high-risk operations for humans. much more. Downtime can be kept to (up to SIL3) to the DCS/SCADA/
Fully automatic operations require a minimum, and costly travel can be Batch level including connection to
no human intervention, takes people completely avoided. Level 2 systems (Dispatching/MES/
away from the drill floor, and therefore MIS). B&R’s complete hardware and
reduces the probability of accidents. By acquiring data for all media – software solutions, comprehensive
There is also efficiency and cost saving from electrical energy to natural gas service and hard-earned expertise in
benefits to consider. and heating oil and even compressed the automation and digitalization of
air – it is possible to automatically and plants offer advantages for both new
Unplanned downtime is another comprehensively record all energy (greenfields) as well as existing legacy
concern in the O&G industry. It not consumption. The ability to calculate plants (brownfield).
only costs time and money, but it and view consumption and costs makes
also have a ripple effect in delaying it considerably easier to implement To bridge the divide between
production, time to market, and more. energy management systems as IT and automation, plant operators
Predictive maintenance solution defined in ISO 50001. Evaluation and are increasingly turning to the open
allows plants owners to constantly visualization of historical data allows OPC UA standard. When it comes to
monitor plants health and use the energy consumption to be analyzed complex processes with real-time
at various levels of detail in order to requirements, however, OPC UA
has had its limitations. That is now
changing thanks to Time Sensitive
Networking (TSN). B&R has tightly
integrated OPC UA into its automation
products. It is therefore possible for any
B&R controller to be implemented as
an OPC UA server or client. This allows
a seamless vertical and horizontal
communication.

B&R works with O&G companies
both directly and indirectly – via
authorized B&R partner companies
with extensive industry know-how. As
key accounts, our customers receive
optimal support from our sales and
applications teams in order to work
out the best possible solutions.

24 February 2020

ARTICLE

Staying Compliant and Profitable
in the Pharmaceutical Packaging
Process with Checkweighing

High demand in the pharmaceutical products, compliance for missing components such as the
pharmaceutical industry is a is also critical. Products entering the leaflet or complete blisters.This is a vital
constant. Manufacturers both supply chain that do not meet the part of the package, as a box of tablets
large and small must look required standard threaten patient for example will not be considered safe
to optimize their production lines in safety, retailer confidence and in or compliant without it. End of line
order to ensure production quotas the worst case scenario a company’s applications are also commonplace,
are met in a timely, profitable and ability to continue production. All are where systems are used to check
above all safe manner. Larger damaging to profit margins to varying the completeness of secondary and
producers running single product degrees and the risks can be mitigated tertiary packaging, ensuring that what
batches seek outstanding reliability with a well executed product is sent into the supply chain is exactly
and accuracy in checkweighing, whilst inspection programme. what is expected.
smaller contract packagers – who are Checkweighers automatically
likely servicing multiple clients – need Automation is a given in these inspect 100% of products on the
the flexibility to effect quick changeovers environments and it is universally line - which is highly recommended
in order to keep throughput to a recognized that checkweighers compared with random off-line
maximum. play an instrumental role in day to sampling, as the latter gives a sample
As manufacturers need to day production. A checkweigher’s size that is now considered to be of
remain certified in order to produce main function in a pharmaceutical little statistical significance.
environment is to check the package

Checkweighing solutions
can help pharmaceutical
manufacturers to
maximize productivity

Downtime is the enemy of any
manufacturer, therefore identifying
areas that affect this directly is
important when looking at Overall
Equipment Effectiveness (OEE).
System setup is one such area that
can be optimized, and checkweighing
features such as digital position
control help to verify this is carried out
correctly - otherwise the batch cannot
be run at all. Running a batch with
incorrect inputs can be very costly to
correct due to the wastage involved.
Also, should these products enter the
supply chain it could have significant
consequences, both in terms of
consumer safety and brand reputation.

Another feature that increases
OEE is In-Process-Testing. The test
procedure, to be followed step by
step, is normally written down on a

25 February 2020

separate instruction document and scenarios. Users are immediatley alerted if
the results are manually entered on In addition, there is an easy to settings are entered incorrectly
separate documents. Such testing and the system will not start if the
procedures are very labour intensive, operate, intuitive Graphical User parameters are wrong - another factor
cause operational downtime and rely Interface (GUI), that helps the user that influences the usability of the
heavily on the operator consistently to make changes easily. Mettler- GUI also helps users to save time and
testing for reliable results. Toledo also offers ProdX, a product therefore minimize changeover times
inspection data management software - key factors when looking to increase
In-Process Tests significantly application, which can significantly productivity.
reduce the risk of errors during test increase OEE as it enables nearly all
procedures and are highly flexible - so processes on the line to be monitored Statistical Process Control (SPC),
are able to adapt to customers’ specific from a central point. in addition, is possible via software
requirements. They are easy to operate, functions that can be utilised to predict
generate automatic reports for each Compliance with Good issues on the line. SPC measures and
test scenario, and – most importantly Manufacturing Practice refers to industry standard values
of all – require no shutdown of (GMP) guidelines of process capability CP and CPK.
production. In-Process Tests are carried Standalone or integrated systems
out with the help of special screen Pharmaceutical checkweighers allow users access to the statistical data
prompts, which guide the operator in particular are designed to meet needed to understand, document and
through the complete procedure the regulatory requirements of the control profitability and production
and automatically record the results, pharmaceutical industry. First of all, efficiency. This way, early detection
which can then be saved and printed. GMP offers a broad guidance, although of problems can be achieved ahead
Clear guidance during testing reduces GMP regulations are not prescriptive of any major issues that may have
labour time and possible operator instructions but consist of guidelines a significant impact on uptime. The
errors and manufacturers benefit from based on general principles. These ability to monitor performance is
more consistent, reliable results and include, for example, the validation of directly linked to OEE, and the net
higher operational uptime. In-Process processes, record keeping, operator effect of reduced machine downtime
Tests enable several configurable test training or prevention of cross- is that higher production levels can be
Author: contamination. It is always up to the achieved using the same amount of
Siddharth Kachroo manufacturer to design the production resources. This leads to a faster return
Siddharth Kachroo process and quality programs in on investment with regard to capital
Business Manager – Product Inspection accordance with GMP principles, to purchases such as checkweighers.
& Global Key Accounts interpret the guidelines and asseses
Mettler-Toledo India Pvt Ltd process risks accurately. Mettler- Tracebility of Process
For more Information Toledo, in order to maintain process Changes
Write to us at [email protected] or safety, offers equipment qualification,
Contact Us Toll-Free 1800 228884 / which is a huge benefit to users as it Individual boxes, for blister
1800 1028460 or reduces the qualification and validation packs of pills for example, are
Visit us at www.mt.com time in order to comply with FDA or lightweight, therefore the load cell of
CGMP (Current Good Manufacturing a checkweigher has to be very precise.
Practice) requirements. Equipment The checkweigher helps to check for
qualification comprises all aspects of product completeness, to reject falsely
design, installation, operational and produced products and ensure the
performance qualification. safety of the processes comply with
FDA requirements. Another demand is
Minimizing changeover the legal compliance with CFR 21 Part
downtime with 11, which describes the way access to
checkweighing information is managed and changes
technology made to the checkweigher. Everything
has to be traceable and logged. This is
Minimizing changeover downtime integrated into the audit trail feature
is critical. Advanced checkweighing that the pharmaceutical checkweigher
systems offer useful features such as offers and a local audit trail operates
digital positioning control. Due to a completely automatically in the
plausibility check the system does not background and usually requires no
allow users to enter false parameters. user intervention.

Another useful feature is the

26 February 2020

domain login server, which enables all. Manufacturers generally deal serialization when it needs them to be.
the manufacturer to use accounts, with multiple facilities, that will all In addition to upcoming
passwords and rules issued and have to be enhanced with hardened
administered by the company’s IT serialization software to comply with regulatory requirements, the US Drug
department for the checkweighers. these regulations. Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA) is in
Operators, maintenance personnel, development for the pharmaceutical
supervisors and quality managers Overall serialization is the key industry, which is to be applied in
can use their normal network log- to success here and the EUFDM will three phases for the US market up until
in name and password for tasks at require a unique serialization number 2023. First is to ensure lot traceability,
the checkweigher just as they would on every salable unit of drug product followed by unique serialization and
with a network PC. This is not an FDA intended for dispensation to a patient. last, but not least, a combination
requirement but is a very valuable So, for instance, a batch of 60 boxes of of the two. Like the EUFMD this act
addition to the system. blister pack pills will have 60 different will involve an increase in work, and
identifiers, not just one at the lot level. systems such as checkweighers will be
Regulations: looking to During production every aggregation instrumental in helping manufacturers
the future level will have to be integrated into to remain both compliant and
the serialization process and can profitable as the regulatory landscape
A challenge for pharmaceutical be supported by checkweighing continues to evolve.
manufacturers will be the European technology. Added value can be
Falsified Medicine Directive (EUFMD), generated either by checkweighers About METTLER TOLEDO
that is expected to be implemented with integrated serialization
by the first half of 2018. Two years functionality, tamper evident sealing METTLER TOLEDO is a leading
may sound like a long time, but or aggregation solutions for the global supplier of precision instruments
depending on how many products secondary and tertiary packaging at and services. The company has strong
the manufacturer has, how they the end of the line. leadership positions in a wide variety
are produced and whether they are of market sectors and holds global
produced using internally owned If a pharmaceutical manufacturer number-one market positions in many
facilities or with external partners, works together with contract of them. Specifically, METTLER TOLEDO
it really isn’t a great deal of time at packagers, which is quite common in is the largest provider of weighing
Europe, it should keep in mind that and analytical instruments for use in
those contractors may not be ready for laboratory and in-line measurement
in demanding production processes
of industrial and food retailing
applications.

The Product Inspection Division of
METTLER TOLEDO is a leader in the field
of automated inspection technology.
The Division incorporates the Safeline
Metal Detection and X-ray Inspection,
Garvens and Hi-Speed Checkweighing
and the CI Vision and PCE Track & Trace
brands. The solutions provided by the
business increase process efficiency
for manufacturers while supporting
compliance with industry standards
and regulations. Systems also deliver
improved product quality which helps
to protect the welfare of consumers
and reputation of manufacturers.

27 February 2020

ARTICLE

The Global Pharma Equipments

Incorporated in the year 2009 Fabrication Services. Today, The Global achieve perfection in product quality
“The Global Pharma Equipments”, Pharma Equipments has carved its and widen the range of Equipments
has achieved many milestones unique place in the industry and it has and Machinery.
in manufacturing, exporting and loyal sets of customers spread across
supplying commendable gamut of the nation. We believe in constantly For many types of cancer, doctors
Pharmaceutical Equipments and innovating and re-inventing our commonly use the TNM system of
Machinery. We are also provide business process and this has helped us the American Joint Committee on
Cancer (AJCC) to describe a cancer’s
Sneha Hari Nair stage. Doctors answer the following
(MBA Marketing & Fin.) questions based on the results from
Proprietor, THE GLOBAL PHARMA EQUIPMENTS diagnostic tests, imaging scans, and
surgery to remove or get a sample of
the tumor.

We cater any kind of machinery
requirements of pharmaceutical
industry. we promise to travel that extra-
mile to meet challenging customer
demands. Based in Thane (Maharashtra),
India, since inception, ours is a Sole
Proprietorship (Individual) firm. With
the state-of-the-art manufacturing
infrastructure in place, the company
is well-equipped to handle any kind
of tight production schedule. We are
capable of manufacturing the entire
range of machinery and Clean Room
Equipments at our factory premises
itself.” To be a growth driven company,
this is ranked amongst the top national
players within the industry as well as
worldwide.

Under the able guidance of our
mentor, ‘Ms. Sneha Nair’, we are able
to maintain our unique stature in this
stiff market competition. She has a
commendable industry expertise and
in-depth knowledge in this domain.
Because of her encouragement
and support, we have touched new
dimensions of success.

Infrastructure

Our organization has constructed a
state-of-the-art infrastructure facility,
which is spread across an extensive
area of 2500 square feet. With the
aid of our modern infrastructure
unit, we are able to develop our
range of Pharmaceutical Clean Room
Equipment and Machinery. Along with
this we also manufacturing Kitchen,
Hotel and Hospital Equipment with
utmost precision. Installed with

28 February 2020

sophisticated amenities like ultra- and Hotel Equipments with perfection. Quality Assurance
modern machinery, technologically These professionals are efficient to
advanced technology and cutting- carry out our business operations in an Being a quality-centric organization,
edge tools, we are able to develop our effective manner, which help us to stand our endeavors are engaged in providing
range of equipment. In addition, to tall on the expectations of our patrons. our clients with an impeccable range of
ensure hassle-free production, we have Our hired personnel are dedicated Pharmaceutical Clean Room Equipment
properly segregated our infrastructure towards their assigned goals and and Machinery as well as Hotel,
into different departments. complete the targets in stipulated time- Kitchen and Hospital Equipment too.
period. Further, our professionals work The equipment developed by us are
Our infrastructure has in close coordination with each other manufactured only utilizing quality-
following units: to understand the requirements of our approved raw material like stainless steel,
clients and fulfill the same in dexterous metals and other basic components that
• Manufacturing unit manner. are obtained from reliable vendors of
• Quality controlling unit the industry. Further, we have installed
• R&D department Our team has following latest testing machines to inspect our
• Warehousing and packaging unit members: range on different parameters, which
is operated by our quality controllers.
Our Team • Engineers Following are the parameters on which
• Quality controllers our range is tested:
Blessed with a highly efficient and • R&D personnel • Corrosion resistance
competent team of professionals, we • Warehouse and packaging • Durability
have been able to develop our range of • Dimensional accuracy
Pharmaceutical Clean Room Equipment personnel
and Machinery with Hospital, Kitchen

29 February 2020

COMPANY PROFILE

ECOFLUX* Corrugated
Tube Heat Exchanger

HRS Process Systems Ltd. India, During heat transfer process, over a
is part of UK based HRS group period of time, deposition of substance
of companies a leading heat occurs. Formation of this boundary
transfer technology provider. layer is referred to as FOULING, a factor
HRS is equipped with a strong network which poses resistance to product flow.
all across domestic and international Fouling is typically high in shell and tube
market like UK, Spain, USA, India, (smooth tube) heat exchangers and
Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia significantly impacts the heat transfer
to fulfil technology needs of process process.
industries.
The high demand for heat transfer To tackle such inefficiency HRS has
equipments in industries like chemical, introduced the innovative development
pharmaceutical, agrochemical, in heat transfer technology i.e.
petrochemical, oil & fats, fertilizer, ECOFLUX*corrugated tube heat even in liquids with high viscosity, large
food and beverages, engineering and exchanger, which is a shell and tube heat fibers or particulates.
others is driving the advancement exchanger where “corrugated tubes” are
in heat transfer technology. Heating, used instead of plain tubes. The tubes ECOFLUX* corrugated tube heat
cooling, chilling, condensing, re-boiling, are corrugated to induce turbulence exchangers are compact in yet give
pasteurizing, sterilizing, evaporating are in both the flows (product and service) significantly enhanced performance
the key processes in these industries. even at lower velocity. Corrugated tube over smooth tube heat exchanger.
To carry out such processes effectively, thus, boosts heat transfer multifold even ECOFLUX* can be customized according
heat exchanger becomes heart of the at low Reynold’s number with minimum to the process needs with wide
process plant. increase in pressure loss. This enables choice of MOC. This requires very low
ECOFLUX* CTHE a efficient heat transfer maintenance cost and also gives high
response to CIP.

The MOC of this heat exchanger is
typically SS, however, Its is also made
in exotic materials like SS304L, SS316L,
904L, 321, Titanium, Duplex, Hastellloy,
Alloy 20, Copper depending upon
compatibility of process fluids.

Thus this proves to be a versatile,
economical and energy efficient
equipment for multiple options in
process industries.

For more information, kindly contact:
HRS Process Systems Ltd
201/202 Karan Selene,
851 Bhandarkar Instt Rd, Pune - 411004.
Tel: 020 25663581/82/ 66047894
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.hrsasia.co.in
30 February 2020

CORONAVIRUS - NEWS

What is coronavirus and what
should I do if I have symptoms?

What are the symptoms caused by the virus from Wuhan in China, how does it spread, and when should
you call a doctor?

What is Covid-19 – the illness you think you have been exposed to the vaccine for the new coronavirus, which
that started in Wuhan? virus can be found here, and the full travel means it is more difficult for vulnerable
advice to UK nationals is available here. members of the population – elderly
It is caused by a member of the people or those with existing respiratory
coronavirus family that has never Is the virus being transmitted or immune problems – to protect
been encountered before. Like other from one person to another? themselves. Hand-washing and avoiding
coronaviruses, it has come from animals. other people if you feel unwell are
Many of those initially infected either China’s national health commission important. One sensible step is to get the
worked or frequently shopped in the has confirmed human-to-human flu vaccine, which will reduce the burden
Huanan seafood wholesale market in the transmission, and there have been such on health services if the outbreak turns
centre of the Chinese city. transmissions elsewhere. into a wider epidemic.

What are the symptoms this How many people have been Have there been other
coronavirus causes? affected? coronaviruses?

The virus can cause pneumonia. As of 3 March, the outbreak has Severe acute respiratory syndrome
Those who have fallen ill are reported affected more than 89,000 people (Sars) and Middle Eastern respiratory
to suffer coughs, fever and breathing globally, with a total death toll in excess syndrome (Mers) are both caused by
difficulties. In severe cases there can be of 3,000. In mainland China, of the 80,151 coronaviruses that came from animals.
organ failure. As this is viral pneumonia, confirmed cases, over 44,000 people have In 2002, Sars spread virtually unchecked
antibiotics are of no use. The antiviral recovered, and 2,943 (or 3.6%) have died. to 37 countries, causing global panic,
drugs we have against flu will not work. Over 125 deaths have occurred outside infecting more than 8,000 people and
Recovery depends on the strength of the of China. The coronavirus has spread to killing more than 750. Mers appears to be
immune system. Many of those who have more than 60 other countries. The worst less easily passed from human to human,
died were already in poor health. affected include South Korea with nearly but has greater lethality, killing 35%
5,000 cases, and Iran, with over 1,500 of about 2,500 people who have been
Should I go to the doctor if I cases. infected.
have a cough?
There have been 40 recorded cases Is the outbreak a pandemic
In the UK, the medical advice is that and no fatalities to date in the UK. and should we panic?
if you have recently travelled from areas
affected by coronavirus, you should: Why is this worse than normal No. A pandemic, in WHO terms, is“the
• stay indoors and avoid contact with influenza, and how worried are worldwide spread of a disease”.The spread
the experts? of the virus outside China is worrying
other people as you would with the but not an unexpected development.
flu We don’t yet know how dangerous The WHO has declared the outbreak
• call NHS 111 to inform them of your the new coronavirus is, and we won’t know to be a public health emergency of
recent travel to the area until more data comes in. The mortality international concern. The key issues are
More NHS advice on what to do if rate is around 2% in the epicentre of the how transmissible this new coronavirus
outbreak, Hubei province, and less than is between people, and what proportion
that elsewhere. For comparison, seasonal become severely ill and end up in hospital.
flu typically has a mortality rate below 1% Often viruses that spread easily tend
and is thought to cause about 400,000 to have a milder impact. Generally, the
deaths each year globally. Sars had a coronavirus appears to be hitting older
death rate of more than 10%. people hardest, with few cases in children.

Another key unknown is how
contagious the coronavirus is. A crucial
difference is that unlike flu, there is no

31 February 2020

CORONAVIRUS - NEWS

Coronavirus map: how Covid-19
is spreading across the world

Confirmed cases of Covid-19 now span 74 countries, with more than 3,000 deaths, all but 173 in mainland
China

Coronavirus Common signs of infection include coronaviruses are known to cause
respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, respiratory infections ranging from the
Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large shortness of breath and breathing common cold to more severe diseases
family of viruses that cause illness difficulties. In more severe cases, such as Middle East Respiratory
ranging from the common cold to more infection can cause pneumonia, severe Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute
severe diseases such as Middle East acute respiratory syndrome, kidney Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most
Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and failure and even death. recently discovered coronavirus causes
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus disease COVID-19.
(SARS-CoV). A novel coronavirus Standard recommendations to
(nCoV) is a new strain that has not been prevent infection spread include What is COVID – 19?
previously identified in humans. regular hand washing, covering mouth
and nose when coughing and sneezing, COVID-19 is the infectious disease
Coronaviruses are zoonotic, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs. caused by the most recently discovered
meaning they are transmitted Avoid close contact with anyone coronavirus. This new virus and disease
between animals and people. showing symptoms of respiratory were unknown before the outbreak
Detailed investigations found that illness such as coughing and sneezing. began in Wuhan, China, in December
SARS-CoV was transmitted from civet 2019.
cats to humans and MERS-CoV from What is Coronavirus?
dromedary camels to humans. Several What are the symptoms of
known coronaviruses are circulating Coronaviruses are a large family COVID-19?
in animals that have not yet infected of viruses which may cause illness in
humans. animals or humans. In humans, several The most common symptoms of

32 February 2020

COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and Can CoVID-19 be caught your hands with an alcohol-based
dry cough. Some patients may have from a person who has no hand rub or wash them with soap
aches and pains, nasal congestion, symptoms? and water.
runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. Why? Washing your hands with
These symptoms are usually mild The main way the disease spreads soap and water or using alcohol-
and begin gradually. Some people is through respiratory droplets expelled based hand rub kills viruses that
become infected but don’t develop by someone who is coughing. The risk may be on your hands.
any symptoms and don’t feel unwell. of catching COVID-19 from someone • Maintain at least 1 metre (3
Most people (about 80%) recover from with no symptoms at all is very low. feet) distance between yourself
the disease without needing special However, many people with COVID-19 and anyone who is coughing or
treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 experience only mild symptoms. This sneezing.
people who gets COVID-19 becomes is particularly true at the early stages Why? When someone coughs or
seriously ill and develops difficulty of the disease. It is therefore possible sneezes they spray small liquid
breathing. Older people, and those to catch COVID-19 from someone who droplets from their nose or mouth
with underlying medical problems like has, for example, just a mild cough which may contain virus. If you are
high blood pressure, heart problems and does not feel ill. WHO is assessing too close, you can breathe in the
or diabetes, are more likely to develop ongoing research on the period of droplets, including the COVID-19
serious illness. About 2% of people transmission of COVID-19 and will virus if the person coughing has
with the disease have died. People with continue to share updated findings. the disease.
fever, cough and difficulty breathing • Avoid touching eyes, nose and
should seek medical attention. Can I catch COVID-19 from mouth.
the feces of someone with the Why? Hands touch many surfaces
How does COVID -19 spread? disease? and can pick up viruses. Once
contaminated, hands can transfer
The most common symptoms of The risk of catching COVID-19 from the virus to your eyes, nose or
COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and the feces of an infected person appears mouth. From there, the virus can
dry cough. Some patients may have to be low. While initial investigations enter your body and can make you
aches and pains, nasal congestion, suggest the virus may be present in sick.
runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. feces in some cases, spread through • Make sure you, and the people
These symptoms are usually mild this route is not a main feature of the around you, follow good respiratory
and begin gradually. Some people outbreak. WHO is assessing ongoing hygiene. This means covering your
become infected but don’t develop research on the ways COVID-19 is mouth and nose with your bent
any symptoms and don’t feel unwell. spread and will continue to share new elbow or tissue when you cough or
Most people (about 80%) recover from findings. Because this is a risk, however, sneeze. Then dispose of the used
the disease without needing special it is another reason to clean hands tissue immediately.
treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 regularly, after using the bathroom and Why? Droplets spread virus. By
people who gets COVID-19 becomes before eating. following good respiratory hygiene
seriously ill and develops difficulty you protect the people around you
breathing. Older people, and those What can I do to protect from viruses such as cold, flu and
with underlying medical problems like myself and prevent the COVID-19.
high blood pressure, heart problems spread of disease? • Stay home if you feel unwell. If you
or diabetes, are more likely to develop have a fever, cough and difficulty
serious illness. About 2% of people Protection measures for everyone breathing, seek medical attention
with the disease have died. People with Stay aware of the latest information and call in advance. Follow the
fever, cough and difficulty breathing on the COVID-19 outbreak, available directions of your local health
should seek medical attention. on the WHO website and through authority.
your national and local public health Why? National and local authorities
Can the virus that causes authority. COVID-19 is still affecting will have the most up to date
COVID-19 be transmitted mostly people in China with some information on the situation in
through the air? outbreaks in other countries. Most your area. Calling in advance will
people who become infected allow your health care provider
Studies to date suggest that experience mild illness and recover, but to quickly direct you to the right
the virus that causes COVID-19 is it can be more severe for others. Take health facility. This will also protect
mainly transmitted through contact care of your health and protect others you and help prevent spread of
with respiratory droplets rather than by doing the following: viruses and other infections.
through the air. See previous answer • Regularly and thoroughly clean • Stay informed on the latest
on “How does COVID-19 spread?”

33 February 2020

developments about COVID-19. Hubei Province. For people in most Are antibiotics effective in
Follow advice given by your other parts of the world, your risk of preventing or treating COVID
healthcare provider, your national getting COVID-19 is currently low, -19?
and local public health authority or however, it’s important to be aware of
your employer on how to protect the situation and preparedness efforts No. Antibiotics do not work against
yourself and others from COVID-19. in your area. viruses, they only work on bacterial
Why? National and local authorities infections. COVID-19 is caused by
will have the most up to date WHO is working with health a virus, so antibiotics do not work.
information on whether COVID-19 authorities in China and around the Antibiotics should not be used as a
is spreading in your area. They world to monitor and respond to means of prevention or treatment of
are best placed to advise on what COVID-19 outbreaks. COVID-19. They should only be used
people in your area should be as directed by a physician to treat a
doing to protect themselves. Should I worry about COVID bacterial infection.
-19?
Protection measures for Is there a drug, vaccine or
persons who are in or have If you are not in an area where treatment for COVID -19?
recently visited (past 14 days) COVID-19 is spreading, or if you have
areas where COVID-19 is not travelled from one of those areas Not yet. To date, there is no vaccine
spreading or have not been in close contact with and no specific antiviral medicine to
someone who has and is feeling unwell, prevent or treat COVID-2019. However,
• Follow the guidance outlined your chances of getting it are currently those affected should receive care to
above. (Protection measures for low. However, it’s understandable that relieve symptoms. People with serious
everyone) you may feel stressed and anxious illness should be hospitalized. Most
about the situation. It’s a good idea patients recover thanks to supportive
• Stay at home if you begin to feel to get the facts to help you accurately care.
unwell, even with mild symptoms determine your risks so that you can
such as headache and slight runny take reasonable precautions. Your Possible vaccines and some
nose, until you recover. healthcare provider, your national specific drug treatments are under
public health authority and your investigation. They are being
Why? Avoiding contact with others employer are all potential sources of tested through clinical trials. WHO
and visits to medical facilities will accurate information on COVID-19 and is coordinating efforts to develop
allow these facilities to operate whether it is in your area. It is important vaccines and medicines to prevent and
more effectively and help protect to be informed of the situation where treat COVID-19.
you and others from possible you live and take appropriate measures
COVID-19 and other viruses. to protect yourself. (See Protection The most effective ways to protect
measures for everyone). yourself and others against COVID-19
• If you develop fever, cough and are to frequently clean your hands,
difficulty breathing, seek medical If you are in an area where there cover your cough with the bend of
advice promptly as this may be due is an outbreak of COVID-19 you need elbow or tissue, and maintain a distance
to a respiratory infection or other to take the risk of infection seriously. of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from people
serious condition. Call in advance Follow the advice issued by national who are coughing or sneezing. For
and tell your provider of any recent and local health authorities. Although more information, see basic protective
travel or contact with travelers. for most people COVID-19 causes only measures against the new coronavirus.
mild illness, it can make some people
Why? Calling in advance will allow very ill. More rarely, the disease can be Is covid -19 the same as
your health care provider to quickly fatal. Older people, and those with pre- SARS?
direct you to the right health existing medical conditions (such as
facility. This will also help to prevent high blood pressure, heart problems or No. The virus that causes COVID-19
possible spread of COVID-19 and diabetes) appear to be more vulnerable. and the one that causes Severe Acute
other viruses Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) are
Who is at risk of developing related to each other genetically, but
How likely am i to catch severe illness? they are different. SARS is more deadly
COVID -19? but much less infectious than COVID-19.
While we are still learning about There have been no outbreaks of SARS
The risk depends on where you live how COVID-2019 affects people, older anywhere in the world since 2003.
or where you have travelled recently. persons and persons with pre-existing
The risk of infection is higher in areas medical conditions (such as high blood Should I wear a mask to
where a number people have been pressure, heart disease, or diabetes) protect myself?
diagnosed with COVID-19. More than appear to develop serious illness more
95% of all COVID-19 cases are occurring often than others. People with no respiratory
in China, with the majority of those in symptoms, such as cough, do not

34 February 2020

need to wear a medical mask. WHO 4. Orient which side is the top side COVID-19 have not yet been confirmed.
recommends the use of masks for (where the metal strip is). To protect yourself, such as when
people who have symptoms of
COVID-19 and for those caring for 5. Ensure the proper side of the mask visiting live animal markets, avoid direct
individuals who have symptoms, such faces outwards (the coloured side). contact with animals and surfaces in
as cough and fever. The use of masks is contact with animals. Ensure good food
crucial for health workers and people 6. Place the mask to your face. Pinch safety practices at all times. Handle raw
who are taking care of someone (at the metal strip or stiff edge of the meat, milk or animal organs with care
home or in a health care facility). mask so it moulds to the shape of to avoid contamination of uncooked
your nose. foods and avoid consuming raw or
WHO advises rational use of undercooked animal products.
medical masks to avoid unnecessary 7. Pull down the mask’s bottom so it
wastage of precious resources and covers your mouth and your chin. How long does the virus
mis-use of masks (see Advice on the survive on surfaces?
use of masks). Use a mask only if you 8. After use, take off the mask; remove
have respiratory symptoms (coughing the elastic loops from behind the It is not certain how long the
or sneezing), have suspected COVID-19 ears while keeping the mask away virus that causes COVID-19 survives
infection with mild symptoms, or are from your face and clothes, to avoid on surfaces, but it seems to behave
caring for someone with suspected touching potentially contaminated like other coronaviruses. Studies
COVID-19 infection. A suspected surfaces of the mask. suggest that coronaviruses (including
COVID-19 infection is linked to travel in preliminary information on the
areas where cases have been reported, 9. Discard the mask in a closed bin COVID-19 virus) may persist on surfaces
or close contact with someone who immediately after use. for a few hours or up to several days. This
has travelled in these areas and has may vary under different conditions
become ill. 10. Perform hand hygiene after (e.g. type of surface, temperature or
touching or discarding the mask humidity of the environment).
The most effective ways to protect – Use alcohol-based hand rub or,
yourself and others against COVID-19 if visibly soiled, wash your hands If you think a surface may
are to frequently clean your hands, with soap and water. be infected, clean it with simple
cover your cough with the bend of disinfectant to kill the virus and protect
elbow or tissue and maintain a distance How long is the incubation yourself and others. Clean your hands
of at least 1 meter (3 feet) from people period for COVID – 19? with an alcohol-based hand rub or
who are coughing or sneezing. For wash them with soap and water. Avoid
more information, see basic protective The “incubation period” means touching your eyes, mouth, or nose.
measures against the new coronavirus. the time between catching the virus
and beginning to have symptoms of Is it safe to receive a package
How to put on, use, take off the disease. Most estimates of the from any area where
and dispose of a mask? incubation period for COVID-19 range COVID-19 has been reported?
from 1-14 days, most commonly
1. Remember, a mask should only be around five days. These estimates will
used by health workers, care takers, be updated as more data become
and individuals with respiratory available.
symptoms, such as fever and
cough. Can human become infected wih Yes. The likelihood of an infected

2. Before touching the mask, clean COVID -19 from an animal source? person contaminating commercial
hands with an alcohol-based hand Coronaviruses are a large family of goods is low and the risk of catching
rub or soap and water the virus that causes COVID-19 from
a package that has been moved,
3. Take the mask and inspect it for travelled, and exposed to different
tears or holes. One Stop Solutionviruses that are common in animals.

Rarely, people get infected with these
viruses which may then spread to other
people. For example, SARS-CoV was conditions and temperature is also low.

to ElevatOenye oStuorp BSorlauntidonassociated with civet cats and MERS-

CoV is transmitted by dromedary

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EXPLOREPHARMA 35 February 2020

An Exclusive Journal for Today’s Pharma World

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CORONAVIRUS - NEWS

Coronavirus in India: 6 confirmed
cases as Covid-19 outbreak
knocks on Indian doors |
All that has happened

A total of six confirmed cases of Covid-19, or coronavirus, have now been reported in India. Three of these
have been reported this week in quick succession. Here is a recap of everything that’s happened in India
vis-a-vis the coronavirus outbreak.

The Coronavirus Disease fresh coronavirus cases, taking the ready the country is to fight the global
2019 (Covid-19) epidemic is total number of confirmed infections outbreak.
knocking on Indian doors after in the country to six. And since then,
infecting tens of thousands of focus has increasingly shifted to the Covid-19 first originated in the
people in over 60 countries across the fallout impact of the new Covid-19 Chinese city of Wuhan. The disease,
world. This week, India reported three cases and to the question of how that leads to illnesses ranging from
common cold, fever, shortness of

36 February 2020

breath to pneumonia, severe acute As of Tuesday, coronavirus has of the outbreak so far. But the three fresh
respiratory syndrome, kidney failure infected more than 89,000 people in cases reported this week have brought
and even death, is caused by a kind over 60 countries. The virus has killed the spotlight on how prepared the
of coronavirus never seen before. This more than 3,000 people in around 8 country is to deal with the coronavirus
led to the virus initially being called countries. Most of these cases (80,151 outbreak and how the situation stands
novel coronavirus 2019 (nCov-19). The infected and 2,943 dead) are from currently. Here, we recap everything
disease was later formally labelled mainland China, the epicentre of the that’s happened in India vis-à-vis the
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19). Covid-19 outbreak, according to figures coronavirus outbreak. Remember, this
In the media, it’s being widely called compiled by news agency Reuters. information is as of March 3.
coronavirus.
India has largely escaped the brunt CORONAVIRUS IN INDIA:
CURRENT AND PAST CASES

So far, India has reported six
positive cases of coronavirus, or
Covid-19. Of these, three were from
Kerala and one each from Delhi,
Hyderabad and Jaipur. The Kerala cases
were reported in February, while the
Delhi, Hyderabad and Jaipur infections
were confirmed this week.

KERALA: Kerala was the first state
in the country to report positive
cases of coronavirus. Three residents,
all of whom had returned from the
coronavirus epicentre Wuhan, tested
positive for the disease and were
put under isolation. They received
treatment in Kerala hospitals and were
discharged one after the other after
their follow-up tests turned negative.
By February 20, all three -- all students
from Wuhan -- were discharged from
hospitals.

DELHI: On Monday, two fresh
cases of coronavirus were reported in
India. Of these, one was of a 45-year-
old Delhi man who had returned from
Europe on February 25. His travel
history revealed that he had travelled
from Italy to Budapest in Hungary and
finally to Vienna in Austria from where
he flew to India on an Air India flight.
He is currently under quarantine at a
Delhi hospital.

HYDERABAD: The second fresh
case reported in India was of a
24-year-old software engineer who
had returned from Dubai. The techie
had flown from Dubai to Bengaluru,
where he works, before travelling to
Hyderabad on a bus. In Hyderabad, the
techie reported symptoms of Covid-19
and was admitted to a government
hospital where he was found to
be infected with coronavirus. He is
presently under quarantine there.

37 February 2020

JAIPUR: A 69-year-old Italian tourist of Health. Agra with “high viral load” have been
admitted to a hospital in Jaipur tested Air India has essentially asked placed under isolation and their blood
positive for coronavirus on Tuesday. samples have been sent to the Pune-
Two earlier tests of the Italian man had passengers of the flight to come based National Institute of Virology for
shown discrepancies with one coming forward and get themselves screened testing.
up negative while the other positive. for symptoms of coronavirus.
A re-verification test conducted at Meanwhile, the Air India crew that had The statement added that the
the Pune-based National Institute of flown the flight in question is already six people had come in contact with
Virology confirmed that the man was under quarantine. The ten crew the Delhi coronavirus patient. News
indeed infected with coronavirus. members have been asked to keep agency PTI, quoting sources, reported
themselves under isolation at home that the 45-year-old man had come to
FALLOUT OF NEW CASES and report to doctors if they notice any Agra to visit his family and that this is
symptoms of Covid-19. how he came in contact with the six
The initial three coronavirus cases people.
in Kerala were comparatively localised Separately, low-cost carrier IndiGo,
compared to what has happened this which flew the Bengaluru techie on Separately, it’s been discovered
week. The three new cases have had a Dubai-Bengaluru flight, has placed that the coronavirus-infected Italian
secondary consequences as authorities four crew members from the flight tourist in Jaipur was travelling with a
rushed to contain any possible spread under home observation. group of people that visited Agra this
of the new virus. weekend. It’s unclear whether the
Telangana, Karnataka begin Italian man himself visited the city,
Noida schools shut hunt but news agency PTI reported that
The Delhi man who tested the city’s hotels and tourist sites have
positive for coronavirus has had Down south, authorities in been asked to inform authorities as
authorities in neighbouring Noida Telangana and Karnataka are rushing visitors from Italy, Iran or China arrive.
on the edge. Before testing positive, to identify all those who interacted
the man threw a birthday party for with the 24-year-old Bengaluru techie GOVT GEARS UP FOR
his son at a prominent Delhi five-star. who tested positive for coronavirus this CORONAVIRUS BATTLE
This triggered fears that the son’s week. By Monday evening, authorities
schoolmates who attended the party had identified around 80 people the With fresh cases being reported
could be at risk. techie had come in contact with. These in India, the government has gone
As a precautionary measure, the included doctors at the hospital he was on war-footing to combat the global
private school where the kids study admitted to, his roommates as well as threat. Among the new measures
shut down for the remainder of this co-passengers on the bus he took from taken include:
week. In an email to parents, the Bengaluru to Hyderabad.
schools said the move was purely Stepped-up screening: Thermal
precautionary and that no student or On Tuesday, Telangana’s health screening of passengers at airports
parents other than the one infected minister said that all those whom the and other ports of entry has been
had been found coronavirus positive. Bengaluru techie, who’s admitted increased. According to a Ministry
The private institution also said it to a Hyderabad hospital, had come of Health statement, all passengers
was taking preventive steps such as in contact with are beign screened. arriving directly or indirectly from
fumigation of the campus and school The minister also said that they are China, South Korea, Japan, Iran, Italy,
buses. Separately, another Noida- collecting information on those who Hong Kong, Macau, Vietnam, Malaysia,
based school said it would remain shut had travelled with the young man Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore
for the next few days so that it could from Dubai to Bengaluru. and Taiwan must undergo medical
sanitise its campus as a precautionary screening while entering India.
step. The minister said that more than
half the people the techie had contact Laboratories ready: Indian
Air India warns fliers with have been identified and that laboratories have been on a standby
both the Telangana and Karnataka for coronavirus testing for a while now.
On Tuesday, Air India, which flew governments are taking care of the According to a February 6 statement by
the Delhi coronavirus patient from people at risk. the India Council of Medical Research,
Vienna to India, sent out an advisory at least 12 laboratories and centres
to the passengers of that flight. The Agra on alert across the country are equipped
national carrier said that passengers to test for coronavirus. The Pune-
who had flown on the February 25 Air Agra in Uttar Pradesh is also on based National Institute of Virology
India Flight 154 from Vienna to Delhi alert after links emerged with both remains the foremost laboratory for all
must come forward and follow the the Delhi coronavirus patient and the verification and reconfirmation tests.
protocol notified by the Union Ministry Italian tourist who tested positive for
Covid-19 in Jaipur. Travel restrictions: On Tuesday,
the government issued a revised list
On Tuesday, the Ministry of Health of travel advisories warning Indian
said in a statement that six people from

38 February 2020

citizens against travelling China, Iran, all aircraft from South Korea, Japan Simultaneously, an Indian Air Force
South Korea and Italy, which are among and Italy to be disinfected on arrival. transport aircraft, which flew to Wuhan
countries worst hit by the coronavirus In an advisory, DGCA all such aircraft with emergency medical supplies,
outbreak. The government also said must be disinfected before a fresh set rescued another set of Indians from
that Indians should avoid all non- of passengers boards the plane. Buses the virus-hit city on its return journey.
essential travel to any other country used to transport passenger on planes All the evacuees from China and
that has been affected by Covid-19. arriving from South Korea, Japan and Japan underwent 14-day quarantines
Simultanously, the government also Italy too will need to be mandatorily back home. Most of them have been
issued fresh directives for foreign disinfected. released after testing negative for
nationals who intend on travelling to Covid-19.
India. THE WUHAN EVACUATION
So, in short: There have been six
Export of medicine restricted: On India’s first brush with the confirmed cases of coronavirus in
Tuesday, the government also moved coronavirus outbreak was a mammoth India. Three of these -- all from Kerala --
to prevent a shortage of medicine in operation undertaken by the later tested negative and the patients
the country. The Directorate General of government to rescue and evacuate were discharged after treatment. The
Foreign Trade placed restrictions on the Indian citizens stuck in China’s Wuhan three new patients -- reported in Delhi,
export of several essential medicines. and on a cruise ship anchored off Hyderabad and Jaipur this week -- are
According to a Business Today report, Japan’s coast. under isolation at different hospitals
the medicines on the restricted list and the government is working on
include paracetamol, neomycin, National carrier Air India flew three tracking people the patients came in
acyclovir, tinidazole, metronidazole, emergency flights -- two to Wuhan and contact with. Globally, coronavirus
ornidazole, Vitamin B12, Vitamin one to Tokyo -- to bring back Indian has infected more than 89,000 people
B6, Vitamin B1, progesterone, citizens from the respective cities. The in over 60 countries and has killed
clindamycin salts, erythromycin salts, two Air India flights to Wuhan rescued more than 3,000 people in around 8
chloramphenicol, and its formulations. nearly 650 Indians while Tokyo flight countries as of March 3.
brought back around 120 Indians who
Disinfection of aircraft: On were stranded on Diamond Princess,
Tuesday, aviation regulator Directorate a cruise ship that was quarantined
General of Civil Aviation issued new off the Japanese coast after people
guidelines making it mandatory for onboard got infected with coronavirus

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39 February 2020

CORONAVIRUS - NEWS

Apocalypse: Air India pilot who
planned Wuhan evacuation describes
flying into coronavirus-hit city

A senior Air India pilot who led the evacuation of Indian citizens from the coronavirus-hit Chinese city of
Wuhan describes the experience of planning the operation and flying to the ghost city

HIGHLIGHTS to rescue Indians from the Chinese had placed the city under an
city that’s the epicentre of a deadly unprecedented lockdown as part of
• Air India evacuated more than 600 virus outbreak. Wuhan is where a a mammoth exercise to prevent the
Indians from Wuhan novel type of coronavirus began deadly coronavirus from spreading.
infecting human beings. Since then, • Air India flew one of its Boeing 747
• Two special Air India flights flew to the coronavirus outbreak has led to a passenger jets twice to Wuhan. On
Wuhan for the evacuation global epidemic that has killed nearly February 1, Air India evacuated 324
1,500 people and infected more than Indians from the city and a day later,
• Wuhan is the epicentre of the 65,000. another flight rescued 323 more
coronavirus outbreak that’s killed • Earlier this month, national carrier Indians along with seven Maldivians.
nearly 1,500 Air India flew two emergency flights • The man who planned and led the
to Wuhan to rescue Indians -- mostly operation to rescue the Indians from
• Deathly silence with no radio chatter. students -- from the coronavirus- Wuhan was Captain Amitabh Singh, a
Brightly lit streets bereft of humans hit city. Air India had to operate the senior pilot who is Air India’s director
or vehicles. An airport blanketed in flights since Chinese authorities of operations. Singh not only planned
darkness with all airplanes locked up.
It was like an “apocalypse”. That’s how
a top Air India pilot described the
moment his airplane flew into Wuhan

40 February 2020

the operation but also flew as the to a city that was the epicentre of a With these precautions taken and
executive commander of the double- mysterious new virus epidemic? “No one the plan in place, the Air India Boeing 747
decker Boeing 747 ‘Jumbo Jet’ that said no [to being part of the operation],” with 34 crew members -- four pilots and
was used for the mission. Captain Amitabh Singh said. “There 15 cabin crew -- took off for Wuhan on the
• Now out of a mandatory isolation was no fear [among the crew], but they afternoon of January 31. Also onboard
period, Captain Amitabh Singh spoke had questions.” Those questions mostly was a team of doctors, ground engineers
to India Today TV about how he related to precautions they would need to and other officials, including Captain
planned the rescue operation, the take to ensure that their family members Amitabh Singh.
challenges faced by the crew and back home wouldn’t be affected once
what it was like to fly into the ghost they returned. FLYING INTO WUHAN
town of Wuhan.
THE PRECAUTIONS The most extraordinary part of the
THE CALL flight to Wuhan was actually flying into
And so, there was a briefing. A top the city. Captain Amitabh Singh described
It was just a day before departure doctor from Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia it as an “eerie” experience. Singh said they
that Air India was told it would have to Hospital briefed the Air India team on had never flown into Wuhan but had
fly to Wuhan to rescue Indians stranded the precautions to take, most of which flown to other Chinese cities.
in the city. But, it didn’t take the airline focussed on isolating themselves.
time to prepare for the emergency flight. The airplanes and radio chatter
“Fortunately, since Air India has always This involved donning protective usually present while flying into a city
been involved in a lot of evacuations we suits, face masks and eye glasses. were absent. There was “deathly silence”,
have a team that is always ready and we Captain Amitabh Singh explained that Captain Singh said adding that a few
just had to pick up the phone and tell the they also focussed on segregation -- the hundred feet above ground, they saw a
team that this is the operation,” Captain passengers from Wuhan would be seated brightly lit city. But there were no signs of
Amitabh Singh said, adding that the in the economy section, the doctors and any humans or even vehicles, Singh said.
biggest challenge was ensuring visas for engineers in the first class cabin while the
the crew members and staff that would remaining crew would be seated in the Even the Wuhan airport was covered
be travelling to China. Boeing 747’s upper deck. in darkness with no movement. The
airplanes were all locked up. “It was like
Some crew members, for example, In order to keep their interaction [an] apocalypse,”Captain Singh said.
got their visas as late as 7 am on January with the incoming passengers to a bare
31 for a flight that was to depart shortly minimum, the team also decided that THE DEPARTURE
after noon. food boxes including water bottles would
be kept on the seats before the evacuees After landing in Wuhan, the Air India
Was the crew worried about flying boarded the flight in Wuhan. flight spent several hours on ground.
Air India had flown a team a ground

41 February 2020

engineers on the Boeing 747 so that they to the airport. At the airport, the Indians The evacuees -- mostly students -- even
would not have to depend on any staff at went through immigration and a multi- applauded when the Air India plane took
the Wuhan airport. The engineers got to level medical examination. off from Wuhan to bring them back home.
work, preparing the plane for departure.
“When we saw our countrymen, we ‘WILL DEFENITELY GO BACK’
Meanwhile, the Indians who were saw fear on their faces,” Captain Singh
to be evacuated and were at the Indian recalled. “But when they entered the The Air India flight rescued 324
consulate in Wuhan, were transported plane we could see relief breaking out.” Indians, landing in Delhi early February
1 morning. A day later, another Air India
flight -- flown by a different crew --
brought back 330 more people.

The crew that flew on the two
flights is perfectly fine, Captain Amitabh
Singh said. They had to undergo seven
days of self-isolation during which their
interaction with their families was kept to
a bare minimum.

The crew is now out of isolation and
everybody is back to work, Captain Singh
said. Would they fly again to Wuhan,
though? “If asked, definitely,” Captain
Singh said.

42 February 2020

43 February 2020

44 February 2020

CORONAVIRUS - NEWS

45 February 2020

ARTICLE

46 February 2020